Macron rules out naming a leftist prime minister and opens new round of consultations

The French President, Emmanuel Macronruled out on Monday naming a prime minister from the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NFP), despite being the force that won the most deputies in the last legislative elections, after “verifying” that would not survive motions of censure from other groups.

“The President of the Republic noted that a government based solely on the programme and parties proposed by the alliance with the most deputies, the New Popular Front, would be immediately censured by all the other groups represented in the National Assembly,” the Elysee Palace said in a statement, at the end of the round of consultations between Macron and the political blocs.

The Presidency claimed that “institutional stability” of France “advises against this option” and announced that it will open “from tomorrow,” a new cycle of dialogue with “party leaders and personalities who are distinguished by their experience in the service of the State.”

The message details that the NFP, whose representatives were the first to be received last Friday along with the candidate they propose for the Head of Government, Lucie Castets, “has not proposed ways to cooperate with other political forces.”

“It is up to them to do so,” stressed the Elysée, referring to the alliance made up of the Socialist Party (PS), the Communists, the Greens and the more radical La France Insoumise (LFI).

The sources specified that other parties, such as the blocks that make up Macronism, have “outlined possible avenues for coalition and common work between different political sensibilities.”

Those matches “They are open to supporting a government led by a personality who does not come from their ranks.“, the Presidency stated.

In this complicated context, Macron called on “all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility.”

“My responsibility is to ensure that the country is not blocked or weakened. The ruling political parties must not forget the exceptional circumstances of the election of their deputies in the second round of the legislative elections. This vote obliges them,” the French president said in the message.

Even before the announcement of the Presidency, the NFP had warned in a statement that they would only meet again with Macron to discuss the details of a cohabitation government led by Castets.

But the 193 seats that the NFP and its partners have together are far from the absolute majority of 289 that would allow the coalition to govern alone, without the threat of a vote of no confidence toppling the corresponding executive.

Storming out against Macron

The left’s response to Macron’s ‘no’ was not long in coming and involved a stormy start against the presidentto which La Francia Insumisa (LFI) has even threatened to carry out an unprecedented dismissal procedure that is difficult to implement in practice.

The president of the LFI group in the Assembly, Mathilde Panot, has confirmed on social media that they will vote against any other prime minister who is not from the left. “We will not allow the popular will to be disrespected,” she said.

The French constitution reserves the right to propose a person to head the government to the president, but technically the final say rests with the deputies, who must give their final approval. Macron has not set a specific deadline for taking the step, although all parties anticipate moves this week.